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An ex- Royal Marine acted as a “man in a rage” when he mowed down dozens of LFC supporters during a victory parade, an incident many initially feared to be a act of terrorism, according to court proceedings.

“The video was profoundly upsetting.”

Victims of Paul Doyle cried while dashcam footage showed people being thrown into the air as he accelerated into crowds while screaming: “Fucking hell, move!”

The 54-year-old defendant is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty at the start of his trial last month to 31 criminal charges involving 21 adults and eight children.

‘A Man in a Rage’

Prosecutors warned those in court that the footage from the defendant’s large people carrier proved to be “truly shocking”. The recording revealed the parent yelling “expletives” and “move out of the way” while he headed straight for a large crowd of supporters, some pulling children out of the way as he blasted the horn.

The court was told that Doyle was a “man in a rage had completely overpowered him” as he continued driving into the mass of people, speeding up as people collided with his car.

Extent of the Injuries

In total, the former Royal Marine injured 134 people in just seven minutes – with over fifty who needed hospital treatment. An infant was “miraculously” unharmed even though he was left on the roadway when Doyle’s car hit his pram, according to testimony.

A supporter, a man named in court, was shown being thrown into the air by the vehicle, sustaining a cut to the back of his head, broken ribs and multiple abrasions.

The defendant was heard screaming “fuck’s sake move! Get out my fucking way!” before ploughing further into panicked fans, among them an older woman and young children who became trapped beneath the vehicle.

Celebration Descends into Chaos

Speaking to a full court, the prosecution said approximately a million individuals had attended “what they thought would be a joyous occasion” marking the football club’s championship win. The celebratory atmosphere swiftly became “horror”, it was said, when the driver entered the crowd as he attempted to pick up a friend who had been at the parade.

“Some at the scene believed the events unfolding constituted a terrorist incident.”

Brave Intervention Stops Driver

With injured people on the street, the vehicle’s path was brought to a halt by an ex-army member, a man identified in court, who entered the back of the car and forced the gearstick into park. Despite this, Doyle continued pressing the gas pedal, the court heard.

During questioning, Doyle claimed he reacted in a “blind panic” due to a fear for his safety. Yet, prosecutors contended that the dashcam footage demonstrated the defendant “just lost his temper in his desire to get to where he wanted to get to”. It was further stated: “Consumed by anger, he targeted the crowd and as he did so his intent was to cause serious injury.”

Reckless Behavior Before the Attack

Footage showed the driver was driving recklessly prior to entering downtown, overtaking cars dangerously and running red lights. He disregarded road closures and weaved around other cars, even emergency service vehicles, as he entered the crowds.

The defendant is expected to receive a jail term of more than 10 years at his sentencing hearing.